To ask if anyone chose a new career "later on" in life?

[Justanothernamechange2]

Just feeling quite miserable and deflated today.

I know im not considered older yet at 30, but not a spring chicken to be starting fresh either.

Just feeling like ive wasted half my life.

Went to college, did a degree through the open uni.. had 3 jobs in said field (2 fixed term, then redundancy) when i was made redundant it was due to the company collapsing and not affording upkeep of the building etc so i just got an easy office job in the next city to pay the bills + now 4 years on i feel stuck here. I never really enjoyed the field of work im trained in so dont really want to get back into that. I have minimal other transferable skills other than generic office work (calls, company specific pc software, Microsoft office etc) but I am so frustrated here.

theres no challenge, i feel like my brain never gets a chance to wake up, i travel for hours at an extortionate cost just to come here and do the same shit, different day.

Oh...and my boss is an arsehole.

We also want to start a family, which i feel i cant or shouldnt when between work so i need to settle fast. I joined mumsnet nearly 2years ago due to fertility issues and found a helpful thread here..now were in a position that we could probably go forward with family planning...but not until im settled in a new job where im happy and closer to home.

Anyway.. i digress. Has anyone had a lightbulb moment a bit later on and actually got somewhere good?

I qualified as a nurse at 39 years old. I wasn't the youngest on my course, by a long shot.

Also know someone who qualified as a doctor in their late 30's.

Took a PGCE at 32. It turned out teaching wasn't for me so returned to analytical work. But I'm currently training in equine massage therapy at 41 with the intention of doing it alongside my part time office job.

I've still 20 odd years to go before retirement and intend to spend it doing something I enjoy!

My partner was a successful graphic designer but grew to hate it. Downshifted at age 38 to be a craftsperson. Now poorer but happier

I am 42 in June and about to embark on a completely new career; I still have more working life ahead of me than behind me so I don't feel it's too late to make a good go of it at all.

Sorry OP no advice but following with interest. I have a degree, had a couple of jobs in a semi related field. Want to retrain but like you, we also want to start a family so feeling confused

I thought the same as you for ages but then I realised I had 35 years of working life ahead of me which is far too long to be miserable for! So I listed all my transferable skills and started looking around to see what I could do without going back to university, and I start my new job in a totally new field in a couple of weeks.

There's a pay cut to begin with and I'll have to put off trying for a baby for a year or so, but there's loads of room for career progression and because it's public sector the maternity pay will be better too when I get to that stage. I'm a couple of years older than you - there's no rush.

Yep! Spent most of my 20s in postgrad education including a PhD. Fully committed to academia, and managed to get a lectureship. Recession hit, and made redundant so spent nearly 10 years broadly in education management.
Realised that whilst this was all very worthy, the jobs were actually dull office jobs I’d be paid far more for elsewhere. So off I went at 37 to work in public sector finance. Huge intellectual challenge, much better salary, and better prospects. Many on my training programme are mid 20s, but others up to mid 40s too. We don’t really consider age at all (we all just have different strengths)

Yip, left school at 16 and been plodding along in admin support roles ever since. I’m 32 now and DD starting school this year so I’m going back too. Getting higher English through an access to teaching course this year, then hopefully onto uni next year!

I had a stressful 25 year career as a social worker and loved it although it affected my mental health. Got I’ll health retirement. Then I did some rhs gardening courses.and loved it. Went on to more courses in Garden Design and was considering at 58 whether to do a post grad in landscape Architecture or start a small garden business, when life overtook me again. Wish I’d changed at 35.
30 is really young , you may have to work for another 40 years. Find something that absorbs you. Don’t expect that to be enough though, even jobs that appear glamorous, creative well paid easy have massive downsides. My son, who is your age has a glamorous job in a creative industry and he is so miserable. He’s examining second career options now.
Best of luck

aged 39 when I started a full time degree. 43 when I completed my PGCE and began teaching English. Had a career for 18 years. Hard work but best thing I ever did on the work front. You are at a great age to decide what you really want to do. Go for it op.

Finger caught on the lower case for first word lol.

Was in teaching, now working in probation in my 30's. Sometimes a change can do the world of good

Yes but to say what would be outing. I changed in my forties though.

I'm turning 30 in a few months and have just started a job in a totally new career. As pp said we still have plenty of working years ahead of us so go for it!

Yep at 39, and 19 years after I finished my degree I got a graduate trainee place in the CS. I love it & 10 years later I am still loving it, whizzed through the ranks as I had a lot of work ready skills the others didn't.

Yup my mum went back around 40 and my dh is 34 and in his first year. It can be done but you need to figure out what you want to do!

Nearly finished my pgde and loving it
I'm 38

I'm 36 and starting a pharmacy degree in September. I've been a science teacher for 13 years and now hate it. Time for a change and literally can't wait! Life is too short for looking into the future and thinking "I've got 30 years of this ahead of me before I can retire". If there's something you'd rather be doing, and can afford the time/money/energy etc. To change then go for it.

Slightly younger than you when I started the part time course but I trained as a lawyer when I was 30. Such a great decision, 10 years on I love my job.

I retrained as a teacher last year when I was 40 after working in the city since uni. I’ve an awful lot of working life left and it has been a great decision

My career just got going in my thirties! Spent my twenties studying and crappy jobs and travelling. Met DP at 29 and by 40 had 2 DC, a good job I was progressing in and a home. Many of the women I know have completely changed careers/path in their 30s and 40s. In fact I can only think of 2 who did the corporate job straight from Uni and is still there. And one of them has a 5 year plan to leave and set up her own business. You have a long working life ahead of you - far longer ahead than behind you.

I'm nearly 30 and have just started on the path to gain my gcse that I need to hopefully join university next year - while still working in a job I hate.
Also have no relationship / prospect of getting married or having another child which I would love to do .... but hoping I can change my career will make me happy!

I had my first DC at 30 and started a degree at 33, I am now happily working in the field my degree led too.

I retrained as a teacher at the age of 43 and don't regret it.

I qualified as a nurse last year, I'm 33, best decision I've ever made! Go for it